Since the name of this website is Iowa Foodie, you’ve probably surmised by now that it will be about food. Yes, a celebration of all things edible is definitely coming your way. But it will also be about the freshest fruits and vegetables at the Farmer’s Market and family farms raising all varieties of two- and four-legged goodness. It will be about area distillers (Templeton Rye, anyone?), brewers and the fun you can have on a summer weekend at an Iowa winery. We’ll show you how to make your own bacon, kimchi, and the perfect roasted pepper salsa. Look for our posts on Des Moines area restaurants – from fine dining establishments to breakfasts and brunches that are worth the getting up early part. We’ll take you along to the food festivals that are held throughout the hot Iowa summer months and to the many food and wine events and classes that happen in central Iowa all year long. Iowa Foodie will also spotlight the excellent specialty stores and ethnic markets that provide such tasty provisions. We’ll do our best to keep up with some talented local food bloggers and all the great information to be found from foodies across the country.

Lately, it seems the word “foodie” has lost its shine, gotten a bit of a bad reputation, if you will. The definition of “foodie” has come to mean a pretentious food snob that relies on the latest celebrity chefs on the Food Network to make their decisions on what food trend is worth their time. Well, we’re not that kind of foodie. We celebrate and enjoy food, like to read about and try new techniques and ingredients. We love to eat out and taste something new from a local chef. And while we call ourselves foodies, we’re definitely not food snobs. We enjoy Miller Lite, boxed wine and even (gasp!) Velveeta cheese. We don’t claim to be all food knowing, but we sure are interested in learning and we’re almost always fascinated by a plate of something spectacular. We’re not sure how or when “foodie” started to equal snobbery, but we think the association is wholly unfair. Obviously.

So welcome to Iowa Foodie. We’d love to read your comments (as long as they aren’t spammy or snarky) and if you’d like to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, that would be swell. If you have any suggestions or ideas for future posts, please email us at iowafoodie@hotmail.com. We’re excited to join the awesome community of DSM foodies. So join us – as we take a bite out of Iowa!